A Grandmother In Middle Earth: Edith's Quest
by Cookie Monster's Crystal Ball
Summary: CH 6 UP! A girl named Melody takes it upon herself to wind up stranded in Middle Earth. Now, it's up to her determined grandmother Edith and a smart, but lazy, cat named Buffy to rescue her from certain death, a hopeless crush, and a devious Sauron.
1. Part I, Chapter 1: The Strange Device

**Author's Note: **This story is the result of a personal lamentation: Why on Earth are so many authors desperate to ship off their teenage, irresponsible, and often times unbelievably stupid, OFCs to Middle Earth?

While I'll never know the answer, I decided that it was high time someone took it to another level. Let's say our eager teenager, Melody, finds her way to Middle Earth. Let's even say she's taken it upon herself to volunteer for an obviously fatal quest. BUT, add a very flustered grandmother named Edith, and a sarcastic (but vocally challenged) feline named Buffy, and hopefully this will make for a fun and entertaining read.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the characters or locations that were created by Tolkien. I only own Edith, Melody, Buffy, and Iffany (yes I'm aware that there's no "T"). I will be referring to the books since I neither have the time or the energy to sit in front of my TV and take notes from a DVD set.

* * *

**Part I, Chapter 1: The Strange Device**

Edith Millersmith did not like "gansta rap". Ask her about it, and she wouldn't pretend to be able to stomach the music. So what was a 70-year-old woman doing sweeping her porch, while humming along to _In Da Club_? Two things, actually. First, she was purposely upsetting her nosy neighbor of 20 years, Nadine Rutherfurd. She was also trying to memorize the lyrics. That way, she would have something to discuss with her 15-year-old granddaughter, Melody.

Since Melody's arrival at her home a few days ago, they've had very little to say to one another, aside from an occasional "Good Morning" and "Please pass the milk."

It was driving Edith insane, and if she had to listen to a few outrageously offensive songs to get the ball rolling, then it was something she was willing to do. Buffy, Melody's lazy tabby cat, was lying on the windowsill, looking rather bored.

Nadine, who had also out sweeping her porch, became especially indignant when Edith began to wiggle to the beat.

Not able to stand anymore, Nadine threw down her broom and marched into her house as Edith shouted "Get with it, you old windbag!" after her.

Having accomplished at least one of her goals, Edith put away the broom triumphantly and them reached over and scratched Buffy's head. "We showed that busybody, didn't we?"

Buffy yawned indifferently. _'Fo sheezy, old geezy…'_

Edith picked up Buffy and brought her into the house. "Let's get you something to eat."

While holding the cat under her arm (a recent incident kept her from laying the feline across her shoulder), Edith reached into the cabinet, wondering what her granddaughter was up to and why she wasn't the one doing this.

- - - - -

"…I know," Melody sighed into the phone, "He is soooo dreamy!" Her best friend, Iffany squealed on the other end, "Yeah," she said, "Can you believe that Amber? How could she possibly say that Eric Bana is cuter?"

"Yeah right," Melody said rolling her eyes. "Besides, Orlando had a much more important role. I mean, Eric's character died. Orli lived **_and_** got the girl. Case closed, already!"

"Anyway," Iffany giggled. "What were you calling me about?"

"Hmm, I forgot." Melody admitted. After a brief pause, the thought returned and Melody declared, "Oh, I remember! Listen up; I got something really cool off the Internet. I mean something that I got of eBay. At least I _think_ it was eBay."

"Really? What?"

"It's this cool device…thingy. I don't know what it does, but for $19.00 off my credit card, it had better do something cool."

"Melody, _tell_ me you did not waste money on something stupid…"

"No way! The site had testimonials and everything from girls just like me. It's got to be authentic if other people have tried it, right?"

There was a pause on the other line.

"Iffany?"

"I don't know, Melody. I mean, my folks won't even _let_ me buy stuff online. This sounds kind of strange, too."

"Well, don't worry. I actually got something in the mail, and it looks-" Melody held the object out in front of her. "Well, it looks weird enough to actually work."

"I just hope you get your money's worth. Twenty bucks is still a lot of money to spend for a piece of junk. Um, what does it do again?"

"I don't _know_," Melody sighed impatiently. Iffany could a bit stupid sometimes. "Look, I'll call you back when I find out."

"Good, because I want to be able say 'I told you so'"

"Yeah, bye."

As Melody hung up, she studied the strange item more carefully. It was circular, with tight, straight metal wires. The wires weaved together, forming a kind of spider web. At the center of this web was an almost flat metal disc with an inscription that she couldn't understand.

Despite the fact that it was silver in color, she wasn't very impressed by the appearance. Melody ran a finger gently over the odd words. A strange ripple of color passed from right to left through the object at her touch.

"Cool," she breathed. Melody reached into the wooden box that the item had been enclosed in and pulled out a small sheet of paper. There was a note:

**Far and away, the heart desires**

**Among glittering hills and empires;**

**But careful hearts are wise,**

**To things deeper than seen by the eyes**

**Whosoever becomes the keeper, **

**Must remember to look deeper, **

**Else the way back is barred, **

**And the heart forever scarred**

Melody mused for a half a second before saying, "Whatever!" She skipped down to "opening a doorway to desired Fantasy":

**To heart, to mind, hold this treasure.**

**Then say aloud, "Take me to the place I desire to go most."**

**Say it until it works…you'll know when you've done it right.**

**Remember the moral of the poem and you'll be fine.**

"Let me get this straight," Melody said with a laugh, "I hold this hunk of metal to my head and my chest and declare 'take me to the place I desire to go most'? What a rip off!"

Well, she had paid for it, a whole twenty dollars. It was worth a shot….

- - - - -

"Had your fill, have you?" Edith said while leaning down to stroke Buffy. Buffy purred pleasantly in response.

"I'll just see what Melody is up to. It's almost lunchtime and I'll bet she's hungry." Edith leaned out into the hallway and glanced up the stairs. She had heard giggling just moments before and now there was nothing.

'Maybe she's taking a small nap.' Edith headed over to the stairs and leaned on the rail.

"Melody? Melody, are you awake?"

There was no answer.

Edith made her way up the wooden steps, Buffy right behind her. She'd just wake her up. It was too early to be taking naps.

As Edith reached the end of the flight of stairs and the hallway came into view, she began to hear a low faint humming noise. It was coming from Melody's room.

Buffy passed the old woman impatiently and moved noiselessly down the hall. When the cat reached the girl's room, it scratched at the door and meowed loudly. Still no response.

"Open the door, Melody. Can't you hear this crazy cat? " There was a dull, aching dread building inside of Edith. Something was_ very_ wrong.

She hesitated, and then reached for the doorknob. She was surprised to find that it wasn't locked.

Edith turned the knob gently and opened the door.

- - - - -

**Author's Endnote: **I guess you can call it a "cliff hanger". I prefer to think of it as an interruption in events that results in a desire to see this story continued. A few notes for anyone who is interested or wondering:

- I'm aware that Melody is an idiot and will probably become a "Mary Sue". That's the whole point. Just know she's not a character you are expected to take seriously. I certainly don't.

- The true origin of the device that Melody bought wasn't "eBay". That's all I can say on the subject for now.

- I'm still debating as to whether or not Edith will be a Granny Sue. A Granny Sue could be funny, but there are far too many Mary Sues as it is. I'm undecided at the moment.

- The cat doesn't actually talk; the italics used for when she "speaks" mean that she's saying mean things within her mind. Buffy isn't a very nice cat .

Thanks for reading! If you have any comments, questions or criticisms, be sure to review.

**+ CMCB**


	2. Part I: Chapter 2: The Pathway

**Author's Note:** Thanks very much for the reviews! A few notes:

(1) I've backed down: Edith isn't going to be a "Granny Sue". I've decided I need a reliable and somewhat sensible character in this story…and Buffy isn't interested in saving anyone.

(2) Melody is an airhead because that's her character. She's meant to poke fun at the LOTR Mary Sue genre. Absolutely nothing about her is to be taken seriously.

(3) I'm well aware that "modern" people wouldn't be able to understand the languages of Tolkien. No one brought this to my attention; I just figured I'd make it known in case anyone was wondering how I planned to work with/around this. It will play out in the chapters following this one. Trust me.

**Disclaimer: **All pre-existing places and characters still belong to Tolkien.

* * *

**Part I, Chapter 2: The Pathway of the Inner Beyond and the Nameless Savior**

Edith opened the door and was faced with an extremely bright blue light. That's the last thing she remembered clearly.

The next thing she knew, Edith was being pulled through a seemingly endless tunnel, propelled by an unseen force. Around her, there were random flashes of light and she had just barely missed being struck by a lightning bolt. Every time a wave of electricity appeared in front of her, Edith was somehow maneuvered around it. If being terrified by flashes of blinding light and possibly being electrocuted wasn't enough, there were faces. There were literally hundreds of eyeless faces, all with wide angry mouths were screaming at her, and all at once. The faces pressed in and out of the walls around her, almost at the same pace as her racing heart. They ranged from being as small as a human fist to the size of a car.

Scream? Yes, Edith did scream; quite a bit. If she weren't so scared, she'd be proud of her vocal range.

It wasn't long before Edith caught sight of something ahead of her. It was very far away, but it was moving. She wasn't sure, but the figure looked as if it was fighting the same force that was pulling her. It didn't take long for Edith to figure out who it was.

"Melody? Melody, hold on! I'm coming!"

Just when it seemed like Edith was beginning to catch up, Melody phased through an invisible barrier and was gone.

'Where did she go?' Edith was now alone in this frightening place; at least that's what she thought. The sound of a frantically meowing cat behind her alerted Edith to the fact that Buffy too had been sucked into this tunnel of never ending horror.

Before Edith could say or think anything else, she too passed through the barrier…

- - - - - -

"Aaaah!"

Melody waved her arms frantically, but it didn't stop her from being hurled into a small pond. She landed with a muddy thud, since the pond wasn't deep enough for that much of a splash.

"Ew! This is _so_ gross!"

She was completely soaked with muddy, smelly pond water. It had never occurred to her that Middle Earth was so…stinky. Not to mention dirty. Her baby blue tank top was now mud brown, as were her brand new designer jeans.

"Ugh!"

While wiping the mud from her face, Melody carefully took in her surroundings.

There was nothing but trees; there was no sign of anything remotely resembling what she'd seen in the movies. Not only was she stranded in the middle of nowhere, she had no idea where she was or even how she was to get back home. While making her way towards solid ground, Melody silently scolded herself.

'I should have listened to Iffany. It was just too good to be true. Ergh! Stupid eBay!'

As Melody reached up and dug her fingers into the wet earth, she was surprised to see a gloved hand reaching out.

"Oh, thank-"

When she saw the face of the person holding his hand out, Melody was too stunned to finish; she was too stunned to do anything but stare.

The hand belonged to a man who appeared to be in his twenties. He was tall, almost six feet in height, broad-shouldered, and wearing all black. He was also wearing a very dazzling smile.

"Are you all right, milady?"

As far as Melody was concerned, the screaming nightmare was worth it. Being rescued by a very cute guy with curly black hair and really nice teeth made up for everything.

"Um, yeah," Melody replied shyly. "Thank you." She _would_ have to look her absolute worst.

"We've been waiting for you," The stranger said as he helped her find her footing.

"We? We who?"

He brushed a few strands of wet brown hair away from Melody's bright red face.

"I will tell you soon enough. Right now, I think it would be best to get you out of those clothes."

Melody giggled in spite of herself.

"What is it?"

She shook her head. There was no way she was sharing any of the thoughts in her head, largely because they were extremely inappropriate.

"It's nothing."

That smile again. Melody squealed within herself. 'He is so cute and sweet! He reminds me of so much of Orli. I wonder if he has a girlfriend?'

He removed the black cloak that he was wearing, and wrapped it around Melody.

"I am deeply sorry if you were frightened by the Pathway of Inner Beyond."

"The what?"

He began to walk away. Melody quickly followed after him.

"The tunnel of blue light that you came through."

"I…yeah, it was pretty scary." Melody shuddered. "It was awful. The lightning, and those horrible faces. I'm so glad it's over."

She reached out and grabbed the handsome stranger's hand.

"Um, my name is Melody. What's yours?"

He stopped.

Melody wiped a smidgen of mud off of her nose.

"Something wrong?"

He didn't say anything to Melody right away; he was too busy studying her muddy pale hand. She couldn't quite read his expression, but for some reason, he didn't seem too pleased that she was touching him. Melody removed her hand.

"I…have none."

"What? You don't have a name?"

He looked into her honey brown eyes and smiled again. Melody was reassured.

"No, not yet. But until then, you may call me…well, what would you like to call me?"

"Orlando!" Melody squealed without hesitation.

"Orlando?" He frowned, "That is a strange choice…"

"Oh but it's perfect! And I get to call you 'Orli' for short!" Melody giggled. This was just too much.

"Fine," he said with a chuckle, "from this point on, until I gain a true name, I will respond to Orlando and nothing else."

He caught sight of Melody's pout. He sighed.

"Except maybe 'Orli'. _Maybe_."

"Yay!" Melody cheered, "So, _Orli_, where are you taking me?" 'This is so exciting! Maybe he's a rich count that lives near elves. Or even better, a prince of a secret kingdom of humans who's looking for a princess. How cool would _that_ be? This is even better than the movies! Frodo will probably pop out from behind one of these trees at any minute!'

He reached and took her hand and then turned away, continuing to lead her away from the pond.

"All will be made clear in time, Melody. There is nothing for you to be concerned with anymore."

A ripple of color passed through the man's dark eyes and was gone.

"Everything is going as planned."

* * *

**Author's Endnotes:** Thanks very much for reading; hopefully I'll have time to update this story as soon as possible. 

I'm in serious need of a beta reader. I noticed some mistakes (that I have since corrected) in the other chapter that I missed while reading over it. If you are interested or know someone who could help me, please let me know. I need all the help I can get.

Oh, and for the record, Melody is a brunette, not a blonde with lots of mud in her hair.

**CMCB**


	3. Part I, Chapter 3: See Edith Climb

**Author's Note:** Yes, yes, I know: It's been months since I've updated. Don't hate me too much. I've been off enjoying my summer break. Well, classes have started again, and I've decided it was time I got back to writing. Thanks for the reviews; they were appreciated.

I had to go back and reread the other chapters for errors, so hopefully those will be fixed shortly. I STILL need a beta reader really badly. I emailed a couple of people but no one wrote back. Oh well. The search continues!

**+ CMCB**

**Disclaimer:** Tolkien's work and characters are still his own. Nothing's changed!

* * *

**Part I, Chapter 3: See Edith Climb. Climb Edith…Climb.**

The sun had eased just below the horizon, and another day was ending. The nervous creatures of the forest had returned to what one would consider "routines" after being interrupted by a screaming girl's arrival earlier that day. A small black bird called to its mate. The mate answered briefly. The bird hopped indifferently over a pair of muddy footprints, eager to find whatever nourishment the wet earth beneath it would provide.

Suddenly, the ground began to tremble, and there was a loud noise, as if a giant sheet of paper was being torn in two. It was the air itself was being ripped apart, leaving a large and glowing tear in existence. The bird flew away, joined by its mate and all the other birds that were fleeing fearfully for their lives. Animals that couldn't fly ran, and those that couldn't run hid.

For a few moments, it seemed that the world was ending, starting with that very spot. But then, the glowing tear began to dim, and the noise with it, but not before an elderly woman was sent flying into the muddy little pond. The gateway closed behind her.

For a moment, all was silent. Finally, the woman began to stir.

"Oh! My arm!"

The pain was all she could think about as she gagged up liquid filth. She had never cared too much for the great outdoors. The only reason she even remained so far from town was due to how cramped together everything was. She hated the way the houses and stores stuck together as if they'd been glued that way. Still, she'd take the cluttered houses or even the endless countryside over wallowing in the mud any day. This was horrible.

Edith rubbed her aching right arm, hoping to make the pain go away. It didn't. Her arm was terribly sore, and it hurt her if she moved it too much. She relied largely on the left side of her body in order to get to land.

When she managed to make it out of the pond, she immediately tried to shake as much mud off her floral-patterned dress as possible.

"Ruined," she sighed. A dirty dress was the least of her problems. She knew that this wasn't home. Everything felt different. The air, the shadowy trees around her, and even the mud that stained her dress. They were all real and familiar. But something was wrong with this place. She needed to find her granddaughter. "Melody!" She shouted to the darkening woods. "Melody, where are you?"

Her voice echoed out, but that's the only response she received. Shuddering, she became aware of the cool air, and how far away she was from her warm house in the country. Her arm. Edith wanted to cry. At her age, she doubted that it would ever be right again. She didn't think it was broken, but after such a fall…

A twig snapped in the distance. Because of how quiet the woods were, there was nothing to distract from the sound. Edith listened. It could have been a small animal. Maybe it was Melody.

Edith started towards the sound. Maybe Melody had been hurt and couldn't answer.

Forgetting her arm, Edith hurried through the woods, pushing branches out of her way and stumbling through bushes.

"Melody? Is that you? I'm almost there, don't worry."

Edith was almost to what appeared to be a clearing when something growled. It was a low and menacing sound and it stopped Edith in her tracks. There was a second growl. This time it was little louder, and a little closer. Something was coming toward her. Edith was certain that it was not her granddaughter.

- - - - -

"Come on, tell me!" Melody pleaded. "I wanna know where we're going!" She was sitting a top a large beautiful white horse. It turned out that the horse didn't have a name either. She decided to call it Bana.

"You have odd names where you come from," Orlando had said, "Very odd."

That's the last thing he said to her, and he would say no more, not even as Melody asked repeatedly about their destination.

"It's a secret kingdom isn't it? I bet that's what it is. You're taking me to a hidden castle somewhere and you want it to a surprise, right?" She squealed. "Oh this is so exciting!"

Orlando, who was leading the animal on foot, smirked but said nothing. It was driving the young girl insane.

"Pleeeaase….can't you just give me a hint?"

He chuckled. "I'll tell you this much," he said, "you are right about there being a secret involved. But that is all I'm allowed to tell you."

"Cool!" she exclaimed. "I won't ask questions anymore, I promise. I don't want to ruin the surprise."

"Well, there's no more time for questions, milady." He stopped when they reached the top of a small hill. "We have reached our destination."

Melody blinked. Daylight was almost gone, but there was just enough of a glow for her know where it was he had taken her. It didn't take Melody long to figure out where she was. She knew this place.

"Oh my gosh," She gasped. "I…I don't believe it! Rivendell!"

- - - - - -

Edith backed away slowly, carefully stepping behind the tree to her right. Did the beast see her? She knew that whatever was making that growling noise could not be human.

Suddenly, the growling stopped. The woods were deathly silent. Edith prayed that the creature would leave her alone and that by some miracle it wouldn't know she was there.

There was a howl. A long, loud, and heart stopping sound that made Edith tremble with fear. It was a wolf. And from the responses the animal got throughout the forest surrounding her, it was anything but alone.

What was she to do? It could sense her, she knew it could, and if she ran, it would only chase her. Edith couldn't run that fast. Nevertheless, she couldn't just stand there. The wolf would eat her for certain. She glanced upward. Perhaps she could climb this tree. Wolves couldn't climb trees, at least she hoped they couldn't.

Edith eyed the thick branches above her. She had liked climbing trees once, but that was such a long time ago. She jumped up, and managed to grab hold of a branch. The bushes in front of her trembled. The wolf was coming through! Strengthened by terror, Edith began to scurry up the tree, relying on her one good arm and her legs to climb as high as she could. It wasn't high enough.

The beast sank it's teeth into her dress and began to pull, determined to bring her down. She looked down and saw that the animal was indeed of wolfish nature, but it was too large to be a normal wolf; it was a were-creature. Its yellow eyes stared back at her hungrily. It was going to kill her. The knowledge made Edith cling desperately to the tree. Her dress was beginning to tear, and as Edith tried to climb higher, she feared that if she lived, she'd be left in just her slip. Luckily, when the dress did tear, it was only a small portion.

The wolf-beast spat the cloth out in disgust. He howled. Edith took advantage of his frustration and climbed up a little higher. There was a thick branch just over her head. If she could somehow make it further up the tree, she would at least be able to sit down. She was so tired.

When she dared to look below her, she discovered that the creature wasn't howling in frustration; it was calling for help. Soon there were half a dozen beasts pacing around the tree. A few moments later, there were at least ten of the animals growling beneath her. Taking a deep breath, Edith mustered the last of her strength to try and boost herself onto the branch. She gripped branch with both arms, and tried to lift herself up, but she wasn't strong enough. And the pain in her arm was too much. Edith lost her footing and fell to the ground.

A wolf broke her fall. The impact made the creature yelp and it startled the others, but only briefly. The were-beasts circled her, as they had circled the tree only seconds before. The creature beneath her growled viciously. She got off quickly as it snapped at her, scrambling back towards the trunk of the tree. The woods were filled with the sound of howling. Edith covered her ears. It was like a maddening wind, and it was not what she wanted to hear before she died.

What was once ten wolves had doubled to nearly two dozen. And that's when she saw it. Out of the pack of the large were-creatures, one came forward. Even though the beasts circling her were twice the size of normal wolves, this one was nearly three times as big, if not more. It was clearly the leader, because when it began to circle her, the others backed away. They were waiting for it to make the first move.

Edith closed her eyes as the creature lunged for her. It never made it to her. Edith opened one eye and was stunned by the sight of the great beast lying lifelessly before her. It hadn't made a single sound. Something was protruding from the dead animal's throat. A simple but beautiful wooden arrow.

* * *

**Author's endnote: **Did you really think I was going to let Edith die? Shame on you! I hope to update again tomorrow. I finally know the direction I want this story to take, and I think that means I'll have less trouble with laziness and writer's block. Thanks for reading, and if there are any beta readers out there, I need you! 


	4. Part I, Chapter 4: The Rescue

**Author's Note:** See? I told you I would update. You should thank my mom; she happens to like this story and has decided to worry me until I agree to update daily. My only concern about updating is missing errors (and words!) when I reread these chapters for editing purposes. Hopefully I'll find a beta reader soon. By the way, special thanks to anticipationnation, who was able to point out an error that I didn't catch (I corrected a couple this morning after reading the story over again).

There are a couple of things I need to mention before I go any further:

1.) In case you were wondering, the "Pathway of the Inner Beyond" is a gateway. What kind of gateway? I can't say, not yet anyway. Time in the pathway is different from time outside of the pathway. That's why Edith didn't show up in the pond where Melody landed until nearly a half a day later.

2.) I like Eric Bana, and the only reason I had her name her horse after him was because of a discussion that took place in the first chapter. Did anyone get that joke?

3.) In this chapter, Edith is going to encounter someone who speaks a different language. That language is in _**bold italic** _print. Okay?

Now that I've gotten that out of the way, let's get back to the story, shall we?

**+ CMCB**

**Disclaimer:** Tolkien owns his characters and universe. I'm still just borrowing.

* * *

**Part I, Chapter 4: The Rescue, the Scar, the Traveler, and the Foolish Girl**

Edith's head swirled with visions, both of things she longed to see and things she dreaded. She must have fainted. How else could she have passed from what was clearly consciousness to this dream-like state?

She saw her daughter, Lynda, holding a beautiful baby girl in her arms. That image faded into a new one, one of her simple country house, with her teal vase sitting in the window. Her husband Elias had bought that vase for her two weeks before he died. He had even picked daisies for her. She missed him so much.

Then, dark thoughts and memories crept into her mind. That awful pond, hurting her arm, and being unable to find Melody, the wolf-beasts. Those horrible monsters! She could hear their growls, their wretched howling. She had to get out of that place. She didn't want to see those things.

Edith strained herself back to consciousness. Her eyes fluttered briefly, and then slowly opened. Above her, there was a shadowy figure. Someone was crotched down beside her, but she could not see his face. The person was handling her arm, the injured one. For some reason, she felt no pain. The man seemed to be carving something into her flesh…

Alarmed, Edith bolted upright. But now, completely conscious, she could see only trees. It was morning, and there was no one at her side. No one was carving anything her arm. She was alone.

Slightly flustered, Edith tried moving her arm and found that it felt fine. Turning it and looking it over, she was immensely relieved that it hadn't been broken. It was when she examined her wrist that she noticed a small scar. The crescent-shaped mark was just below her wrist and faced the palm of her hand. She touched it gingerly. Perhaps she'd cut herself. Between the fall and those werewolves, it seemed…

Edith gasped. The wolves! She looked around. What happened to them? There more than twenty bloodthirsty beasts surrounding her last night, and this morning, they were gone. It was if nothing had happened.

Edith rose slowly to her feet, noting that her dress was stained with dried dirt, smelled of muddy pond water, and was torn in front. 'No,' she thought, hugging her frail body with tired limbs, 'It happened. But how am I alive?'

"**_Good, you have awakened_**."

Edith jumped, nearly stumbling back to the ground. "Goodness!" She exclaimed. When she saw that what had startled her was human, she sighed, relieved that she wasn't alone. Maybe this person could help her.

"I'm so sorry, I guess I'm just a little shaken."

The man was tall, almost six feet in height, with a slight build. His hair was a deep reddish brown and shoulder-length, and he was clean-shaven, but he had a roughness to his look that suggested he had been traveling for quite some time.

Folding his arms over his chest, the man gave Edith a very confused look.

"**_I am sorry_**…**_could you please say that once more? I did not_**…"

Now it was Edith's turn to be confused. What on Earth was this man saying? It was like no language she had ever heard. It felt familiar but the pronunciation was off. Was it old English? No, the words didn't even sound European. But where else could he be from?

"Sir, I don't understand what you are saying. Do you speak English? French, maybe? I know a little French."

He shook his head slowly. Edith knew this gesture meant he didn't understand a word of what she had said. She scratched her head, which was, to her horror, stiff with dried mud.

"Do you _speak_ English?" She put a finger to her mouth and said, "Speak." She gestured repeatedly until the man finally understood what she meant.

"Speak," he said slowly. "Speak_…_Speak...Yes?"

Edith nodded. Maybe she was getting somewhere.

She put her hand to her lips, and said, "speak…English?" She moved her hand from her lips, and tried to gesture the equivalent of words leaving the mouth. She repeated this gesture, saying slowly, "I…speak, English." She pointed at him, "You…understand…me?" She pointed back at herself.

The man didn't respond right way, as it was apparent that he was trying to understand what she was saying.

"Speak…English…" English? He thought about it. Was this her name? But if so, why mention anything about speaking? It seemed that her name would be enough. Then it occurred to him. Perhaps this was her language. She wanted to know about the language he was speaking.

He repeated her gesture back to her, saying, "Speak…**_Adûni_**….**_Sôval Phârë_**?"(1)

"Huh? I… no." She shook her head. It was painfully obvious that these two couldn't communicate. Edith, wrung her hands desperately.

"Oh God…it there was only-"

"**_Yes_, _your words_**...**_I understood them_**!"

Edith stopped rubbing her hands together.

"I understood that!"

The man frowned.

"**_What_**?"

Edith frowned, holding her hands together, "Well I don't know that word."

The man blinked. He understood her again. He looked down at her arms.

She when she stopped touching them together, she sounded strange, but when they were together, he understood her. This was very peculiar.

He reached for her hands. Edith hesitated for a moment, but didn't fight him. She watched him take her hands and bring them together slowly.

"Do you understand me?" The words were spoken in a thick accent, similar to those found in Northern Europe. It didn't matter. Edith understood.

He brought her hands apart slowly.

"**_Do you understand me_**?"

Edith shook her head.

The man brought her hands back together, wrist to wrist.

"You will want to keep your hands like this," he said with a chuckle, "You make no sense with them apart."

He released her hands, and Edith lowered them, carefully to keep the wrists touching. It wasn't going to be very easy trying to keep them that way.

"That's…very strange. But I am so glad I can understand you. I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to thank you for saving me!"

"Saving you?"

"Yes. From the wolves."

"You'll have to hold your thanks a while longer. It was not I who saved you."

"But…"

Edith glanced at the around them.

"Who?"

"It was a small group of travelers. A very unusual group, if I do say so myself. Men, an elf, a dwarf, and children with them. These travelers did not say much, in fact, only the eldest of them spoke. He asked that I see you to the nearest town or village. They said nothing of whom they were or why they would not take you themselves, and I would not ask. I have never seen a more grim fellowship of souls in all my life, and I was only happy to take you with me, just to be departed from them."

The man paused, smiling.

"I finally know what is that you are saying and have not thought even once to introduce myself. Forgive my rudeness. I am called Sedry."

Edith reached out and shook his hand, "I'm Edith, and it's very nice to meet you."

His confusion at her shaking his hand and at her words was apparent. Edith put her hands back together and repeated what she'd said so that he could understand her.

"Now that we know what to call one another, would you like me to escort you to your home? Surely a woman your age should not be wandering alone in these woods."

She turned and asked the man something she has been wondering since arriving in this having arrived in this frightening place.

"Where am I?"

But before he could answer, there was a meowing sound behind them.

"What was that?"

Edith knew. At least she hoped she did.

"Buffy? Buffy is that you? Here kitty, kitty, kitty!"

A few moments later, a very dirty tabby cat tumbled out of the bushes. The animal was clearly disoriented.

"Buffy!"

Buffy did not know what had happened to her; all she knew was that she hated water, hated mud, and that her tongue wasn't big or wet enough.

Edith picked up the cat, placing it affectionately over her shoulder. She was certain that Buffy was too tired to misbehave.

"Well now, I see you have found your pet." Buffy purred. Where there were humans, there was food.

"Well, it isn't my pet, it's…" Realization dawned on Edith. Melody. She still didn't know where she was, or even, if the girl was alive.

"Is something wrong, Edith?"

"My granddaughter. I have to find her. She can't be far from here."

"How would you describe her, your granddaughter?"

"Oh, well she's young, about fifteen. Yes, she _is_ fifteen. I baked the cake myself, how could I forget that? Anyway, s-she's short. Shorter than I am, with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. Very chatty, so if you saw her she was probably talking. She loves to talk…"

Edith trailed off. The man silently took in what she was telling him. It was some time before he spoke again.

"I saw a girl," he said at last, "who appeared to be the way you are describing her. Only, she wasn't alone. She was on horseback and a man was leading her. Since I was and am heading west, to Bree, I would say that they were headed east. I do not know where they were going, or if it was even your granddaughter that I saw."

He stopped, as if himself considering closely what he was about to say. Finally, he went on.

"Would you like me to take you home, or do you wish to see if we can find these two travelers?"

Edith thought about it. She knew that there was no "home" here, but she wasn't certain whether or not she should go hunting for a pair of strangers, when one of them may not even be Melody.

"I…I want to find my granddaughter. I won't go home without her. Please, do you think you could help me?"

The man started to speak, but hesitated. He walked around Edith, heading over to a small brown sack that Edith hadn't noticed before.

"It would take me at least three days out of the way of my journey," he said as he closed the bag, "but I will not be able to sleep peacefully knowing that I have left you to wander alone or your grandchild to be potentially harmed."

He picked up the sack and swung it over his shoulder, and then turned back to Edith.

"Shall we be going? It may very well be a long trip."

Edith nodded, and followed behind him closely. She looked skyward, toward the twinkling sunlight.

'Melody, where _are_ you?'

- - - - -

"I knew it! I knew I was destined to do something important!"

When everyone around her did nothing but stare, Melody cleared her throat and said, "I mean, I would be honored to take on this task. Frodo will face so many dangers, and I will gladly lend what knowledge I possess to see that the Ring is destroyed." Melody bowed low before the hobbit. "My knowledge and my life are yours, Frodo Baggins."

She hoped she was doing this correctly. Everyone seemed to be very dramatic in the movie, so she wanted to be as dramatic as possible.

"I thank you Melowaythin. You're heart is as golden as your beauty."

Melody giggled at Frodo's complement. She'd told them her name was Melowaythin because Melody probably would have sounded weird. Melowaythin sounded weird too, but it was cute when Frodo said it.

She caught the approving smile of Orlando, and was glad that she had impressed him. 'He is so kawaii!'

Later, after the council meeting had ended, she asked him if he too would be going on this amazing quest.

"I'm sure you could go. They're letting ME go, and I can't fight my way out of a wet paper bag. Come on! It'll be fun."

"I cannot accompany you, although Bana is your horse now and you can take him with you want to."

"But…where will you go?"

"I have to inform my…my master, that you have reached your destination safely. You are the chosen one. Much rides on your success."

"Um…don't you mean _Frodo's_ success? He's the Ring-bearer. I'm just the prophetess lady…person."

"Of course."

Without warning, Orlando took Melody in his arms. Lowering his face until he was just barely brushing her lips with his own, he whispered, "You won't let us down, _will_ you…milady?"

When Melody was finally able to remember what language it was she spoke, she answered, saying, "N-No…I…I won't."

"Good," He released her, visibly pleased. "Fare thee well, _Melowaythin_."

"Bye, Orlando! See you when we get back!"

After he was gone, Melody squealed. "Oh, he's so keeeeuuuuute! I can't believe I won't see him for almost a…how long is this trip anyway? I'll have to ask that old person when I see him again. What was his name? Gangalad? Ganduf?"

"He is Gandalf the Grey…"

Melody turned to face the man who was speaking, and nearly fell over.

"…and I am Legolas Thrandulion of Mirkwood." He smiled gently. "Have you any more questions, young one?"

"Um….yes. Pinch me?"

* * *

**Author's End Note:** And that brings part one of this story to a close. So…did you notice anything unusual in that chapter? If so, you'll have a whole four days to ponder it. As for me, I'm going on break. A short one anyway. I won't be able to update again until around Monday. Thanks for reviews and support, and I'm glad someone's still reading this. Also, don't be shy about pointing out errors, I need all the help I can get. 

(1) Calling all Tolkien geeks! I was certain that "Westron" wasn't the actual term used to describe the common tongue, and those were the only results that I could find as far as terms for Westron (as the common tongue) in that language. If they are incorrect…what's the correct term(s)? And how does one sound them out?

That's all for now, thanks for reading!


	5. Part II, Chapter 5: Orlando's True Name

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the gap, I've been very busy with classes. Having to memorize a half a semester's worth of notes is _NOT_ an easy task. Thanks for the reviews. I noticed a couple of errors in the last chapter. I can't correct them now because I actually have no time. No internet connection at home, no beta reader, and only enough time to write and upload this chapter. Hopefully I can get those errors fixed Monday.

I'll try to get back to regularly updating next week, when I'll have more free time. Also, I'm sorry if it seems like I'm picking on Orlando Bloom. It just fits with the fandom and the clichés.

**Disclaimer: **The creations of Tolkien are still his own.

* * *

**Part II, Chapter 5: Orlando's True Name and the Prophetess Speaks**

This trip was going better than Melody had planned. _Much_ better. Not only did she not have to walk (Bana was such a wonderful horse), but for some strange reason, she didn't have to go to the bathroom anymore. All of her womanly worries magically disappeared.

'This is so cool!' Melody thought for the umpteenth time, 'I don't have to worry about cramps, or having to stop to go to the bathroom. I am **_definitely_** the chosen one!' Even Frodo required a bathroom break or two...or seventeen. She'd lost count at some point.

Of course, her good fortune would have been suspicious to the others, so she tried to be as normal as possible, making daily requests to go off and do her "female thing". No one seemed to mind, and since she was perfectly aware of Legolas's superb hearing, she decided that emptying her water pouch would rid her of any suspicion from the elf. If he wasn't aware, then odds were, no one else would be either.

The Fellowship had been away from Rivendell for some weeks, and they farther they went, the more nervous Melody became. Oh sure, it was nice to be surrounded by super hot guys (except for the old one and the short hairy one), but what was she going to do when she really got into trouble?

It was during her latest trip away from the group to fake her "female thing" that Melody really began to think over her situation.

"Let's see," she said aloud to herself, "I'm basically here for quick access to information, moral support...eye candy. Oh, they wouldn't put _me_ in any danger. I'm way too important!" She sighed. "I wish my Orli was here. I miss him."

She looked upward, squinting at the bright sunlight. It was almost noon. It was also the first time she'd actually thought about her grandmother.

'I wonder what Grandma E is doing right about now? She probably doesn't even know I'm gone. I bet she's baking cookies or something. Mmmm. Chocolate chip cookies. I could use some of those right-'

"What are you doing?"

Startled, Melody dropped the water bottle into the small stream into which she'd been pouring its contents. The reflection of the water revealed a very curious onlooker, one Frodo Baggins.

----------------------

"You have returned to us?"

The question echoed into the nothingness that surrounded the young man. All was shadow and darkness. He _loved_ the darkness.

"Yes," he replied, "I am home."

A window opened above him, on the second floor, casting a light on him. It revealed the tall stone pillars on both sides of him, and the broad stone stairs leading up to the window that had been opened.

The man didn't look up, choosing instead to remove his black gloves. He knew he was being examined.

"Did all go as planned?"

Another question, but the voice was that of a woman, aged, and it came from behind him.

"Yes. I delivered the girl." The young man hesitated, adding "I do not understand. Why the charade? Why not simply take what we need from her and get it over with?"

"You are young." There was a hand on his shoulder. "You _are_ a creation of divine darkness, but you are still new to the world. It is something you seem to keep forgetting."

He turned, and was faced with a woman. He could not see her face, because of a veil that hid it. A black veil. Combined with her black gown and her wrinkled white skin, it was enough to give her the appearance of death personified.

"Nameless child," she continued, "It is not for you to question our...methods. It is only for you to do what you are told."

"And he has done so."

A shadow blocked the light, as another veiled figure appeared. It was man who had spoken first.

"He has helped to begin a process, one that will finally lead to what we've worked so hard for." The man paused. "But enough of that."

He extended his hand towards the young man. "Come, nameless son, tell me of your journey."

The nameless young man did not move right away.

"I...did gain a name." he said in a slightly pleased tone, "I was called Orlando."

"That was outside of these walls, "chastised the veiled old woman as she passed him, moving to join the man who waited patiently. "You have no name, because you are not yet worthy of the name you were created to bear."

Orlando was visibly upset by woman's stern words.

"I do not like being referred to as 'nameless'. And do not touch me. Ever. You are not _worthy_."

The woman was halfway towards the man waiting at the top of the stairs, but at Orlando's words, she froze.

She turned slowly, and was prepared to give the young man a lengthy verbal lashing, but a gesture caught her eye.

"Let him be," ordered the shadowy figure above them. "It has been a long journey for him, and he has finally come home. The last thing he needs is more of your pestering." In a lower tone, the man said, "And his words are true, Nadeth. You are not worthy of his flesh. Do not touch him."

Vindicated, Orlando finally began to climb the stone steps, ignoring the glare he could feel burning into the back of his head as he passed the woman.

Nadeth had accepted the elder's words as truth. Still, she did not like to be corrected.

"Yes, First Elder. I will never lay a hand on him again. But I stand by what I said. He hasn't proven himself worthy-"

"-of the name Sauron." Orlando finished boredly. He reached the First Elder and passed him, preferring to look outside and admire the birds than to look at either of them.

The old woman gasped in horror. "You **dare** speak his name before the time-"

"Please, Nadeth."

The words were spoken gently enough, but there was a steel behind those words that shut Nadeth's mouth.

The First Elder headed towards a door, signaling that Nadeth and Orlando should follow him.

"Come, the others are waiting."

Orlando turned and smiled smugly at Nadeth before following after the elder. Nadeth all but shook with rage.

'That egotistical little imp...' She sighed. What could she do? He was their vessel, their favored creation. She would be worshipping him herself very soon. But no, not today. Not at that moment. 'He is still an unworthy nameless little puppet. Not until he proves himself worthy of the glory that is Sauron will he be anything else to me.'

Satisfied with her own thoughts, the old woman followed the pair of them through the open doorway.

-------------------------

"Fr-Frodo!" Melody stammered. "Why did you sneak up on me?"

"You were missed. Why were you pouring out water just now? It is not something that is easy to come by."

"Um...well..." 'Come on Melody, think!' At last it came to her.

"It was a blessing...the water...I was blessing the water. For good luck." Melody tried to look grim. "We are going to need it. I just had a vision."

"I thought you were just a historian..." Frodo asked cautiously.

"No! A prophetess is way more than that. I know...er, histories of your people, because of visions. It's why I was sent with you."

Frodo thought about it closely, and Melody was trying her hardest not to panic. Orlando hadn't said anything about questioning.

"I suppose that makes some sense."

Just when Melody thought the little hobbit would go away and leave her alone, he didn't. Instead, he asked another question.

"What was it about? Your vision?"

He glanced at the ring around his neck, and then back up into Melody's eyes, which were ever changing colors.

"Vision...my vision?"

"Yes."

"The vision I just had...that vision?"

"Yes."

Melody hesitated, but finally offered her fake vision up.

"I saw...doom. There is doom in our future."

"You refer to the mountain."

"What? No! Never mind."

Melody walked around the hobbit, back towards the camp. In a final attempt at appearing mystical, she added, "I shall reveal to you the secrets of my mind at a later time."

Frodo shook his head slowly as he followed behind her. Her attempt at mysteriousness had been lost on the hobbit.

**Author's End Note: **That will do it for me. Thanks for reading and see you Monday!

**CMCB**


	6. Part II, Chapter 6: A City of Mist

**Author's Note:** Aha! Bet you thought you'd never see ME again, did you? Well, I haven't had a chance to update. Really! I've had exams every other week. Accelerated courses mean lots and lots of studying and little free time.

Anyway, I've finally made those corrections to the other chapters (although I'm not sure how long it will be before they show up), and hopefully someday in the near future, I'll get a beta. Until then, I'll have to be a bit more careful about spelling/grammar.

I guess everyone misses Edith, right? Well, she's back. Thanks for reading, and hopefully, I'll have another update Thursday.

**Disclaimer:** Still Tolkien's. Still borrowing. Still hasn't changed.

* * *

**Part II, Chapter 6: A City of Mist and Shadow **

It had been two days since Edith met Sedry, and as they trudged down the road, both were beginning to lose hope. They were pursuing a man and girl that may not be on the road any longer, or even be who they were searching for. Edith sighed wearily, knowing that she may have even left Melody behind, hurt and unconscious behind a tree. Dying beside a rock…

"Have faith, Edith."

"What?"

Sedry, only a few steps a head of her, smiled back at her sympathetically.

"I said, 'Have faith'. Even if after three days we do not find what you are looking for, I do know of a way to find your granddaughter."

Edith stopped walking. Her arms were sore from having to hold them together, but she wasn't about to part her wrists after that statement.

"You…know how to find my Melody? Well, for goodness sakes! Why not do it and be done with this walking?" She didn't mean to sound so impatient but it had been two days. She didn't know of anyone else her age who'd walk this many miles, especially if it were unnecessary.

"It's not something I do often, or even something I want to do." Sedry had stopped walking, but he was facing away from her, looking down the endless dirty path. "I am a simple man, a peddler and though I have on occasion come across my fair share of strange customers..."

At first he didn't seem as if he were going to continue, so Edith asked, "Do you know of someone who could help me?"

"Perhaps." Sedry said quietly, "But I'd rather see if we can find the travelers ourselves." He looked haplessly at the confused old woman. "I fear, the price for such a request may be steep, even for such a noble search."

Edith wanted to ask more, but Sedry turned away and started walking again.

"Come mother! The sun will be setting soon. Let us see if we can delay the inevitable a little while longer."

Edith didn't follow immediately. Buffy meowed demandingly up at her.

"Oh, tired of walking, are we?"

The dirty tabby cat replied by laying down at Edith's feet and looking up at her.

Edith picked the animal up and laid it over her shoulder.

"You're lucky that Melody loves you so much," Edith grumbled. She headed after Sedry, down the path and towards the lowering sun.

- - - - - -

"Hellooooo!"

Melody listened to her voice boom and echo off the rock walls around her. Gandalf brought his staff down over Melody's head. Not hard enough to cause her serious harm, but hard enough to snap Melody back to reality. These were the mines of Moria. They weren't out wake the ugly creatures that she knew were hidden through out the mines.

Rubbing her head where the blow had landed, Melody briefly wished that Gandalf had stayed dead. At least she had Bana. She'd convinced the Fellowship to let her take the horse into the mines, even though Sam protested, claiming it was unfair that the much larger Bana could stay while poor little Bill had to go. Few minutes of empty promises and snuggling later, she had at least got the hobbit to stop crying.

Truth be told, Melody wasn't exactly thrilled about it being days before they'd see any kind of sunlight, she was certain they'd come out okay, though. It was only a lot rocks and darkness. What was the worse that could happen?

Pippin kicked a rock down a well. And the worse happened. Melody was almost pinned to a wall by arrows and nearly crushed by a giant cave troll. To make matters worse, she'd lost her horse, Bana. After watching the cave troll use Bana as a projectile, she realized that the mines really weren't a place for ponies…or horses. Poor, poor Bana.

She had been rescued by Gimli from a pair of eager goblins, but she'd really wished it had been Aragorn or Legolas. Still, she was alive, and soon, they'd be out of the mines.

Soon, it would be all over and she'd be with Orlando. So…why did she have the strangest feeling that she was about something?

- - - - - -

The stars glimmered high above them as Edith and Sedry settled themselves on opposite sides of the small fire.

"Again, I am sorry that I have so little for you to eat," Sedry said as he blew gently on his spoonful of stew, "I usually only pack enough for myself. I have not quite gotten use to company."

Sedry smiled amiably at Edith, who waved away his apology.

"I've already told you that I don't mind. If anything, I'm thankful that you are kind enough to share what you have. In fact, I remember when I was a little girl, what you consider to be 'a little' was actually a whole meal."

"Is it so desperate where you come from?"

"Desperate? No, not now. I was speaking of when I was a girl."

Edith hoped he wouldn't press her anymore. She wasn't quite sure how'd she explain the Depression, World War II, and food rations to someone who probably never even heard of her country. He let it go with a nod.

Buffy eyed the two of them. She then sauntered up to peddler and meowed gently.

"No, Buffy!" Edith warned, "You've already eaten. Twice."

Sedry chuckled, but then gingerly picked a small piece of meat out of his stew and placed it on the ground for the cat to eat.

The tabby devoured the small morsel within a matter of seconds and then stretched herself out at the man's side. She knew she'd gotten all that she was going to out of the two of them.

Edith was about to comment on the change in Buffy's eating habits when she was interrupted by singing.

It sounded like a woman's voice, but the sound was both distant and unearthly, like something out of a graveyard church or an creepy old house in the woods. A quick glance at Sedry told Edith that he was hearing the sound, too.

While the voice grew no closer, Edith noticed something coming out of the woods. It was a low white mist, and as it eased around the trunks of the trees, it seemed to her that the trees were becoming completely black.

When the mist approached them, the nervous pair stood in unison. Buffy was backing away slowly, her hairs standing on end. There was nothing natural about this mist.

As the mist overtook their small camp, Edith moved close to Sedry. The fire died, snuffed out by the strange fog that surrounded them. It was up to Edith's waist now, and it was freezing cold.

"What…What is this?"

"Devilry!" Sedry declared in a low hiss. "Stay close!"

She did not know what was going to come out of those woods or even if Sedry would be able to protect her from it. All she knew was that she was thankful to not be alone.

Buffy arched her back and hissed at something that the others could not see. Not at first.

Edith strained her eyes at a large blackness moving towards them from behind the trees. It seemed to swallow the bushes and trees as it neared them.

"Sedry…is that?"

Edith looked above the tree tops and noticed in horror that the black shadow was rising above them. Rising and taking form. What was once an abstract cloud was becoming solid. Edith noted that every tree it touched disappeared. They didn't crumble or crack, they simply vanished as if it had never been. She also noted that the changing shadow wasn't slowing down.

Sedry took her by the hand and ran.

He said something to her, but because her wrists were apart, she didn't understand. Still, his urgent manner told her that it was probably that they shouldn't stay.

It seemed this madness could not be contained by the woods.

"Oh my God," Edith breathed. The sky was changing. The stars were moving, literally whirling by above them, and then, there was sunlight. Sedry had stopped running. He too was paralyzed by this. The sun rose and moved rapidly across the sky, which darkened and the stars were visible once more, and once more they darted across the sky.

The closest thing Edith could compare it with was fast forwarding a movie. But this was real. Very real. Sedry tugged on Edith's arm and she turned to look behind them.

The singing faded to a whisper, and the shadow had stopped moving and growing. It was now…a city.

A city had formed in the woods, and when the sky stopped it's crazed dance, it was nightfall again.

The moonlight, did little to illuminate the shadowy sight before them.

"I know this place…."

"Sedry?"

He shook his head.

"It's happening again….Just as she said it would."

Edith wrung her hands. He wasn't making any sense.

"Sedry, what are you talking about?"

"My name is not Sedry." He looked beyond the startled woman, toward the shadowy city behind her. "I should at least be that honest with you, seeing as we are about to die."

* * *

**Author's End Note:**

I hate to stop there, but I have to. There's studying to be done. Thanks for continuing to read this story. If you are utterly confused I promise everything will become clear in the next two chapters. Again, beta readers are needed and any comments and criticisms are welcome!


End file.
